Physical Therapy Commons^™

Trunk And Respiratory Motor Control In Typically Developing Children And Its Implications In Children With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury., Goutam Singh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Independent sitting is a major milestone and is also a prerequisite for optimal performance of activities of daily living (ADLs). Development of sitting posture control is a dynamic process involving control of degrees of freedom of head and trunk. Traditionally, trunk has been modeled as a single unit (segment). However, recent studies have suggested that it is made up multiple spinal units, controlled by a combination of trunk muscles. During typical development, posture control of trunk is different for different trunk segments. This motor development of trunk control is a complex process due to constant interaction between the nervous system …

Social Support In Collegiate Athletics: An Evaluation Of The Efficacy Of Perceived Social Support Among Injured College Athletes And Its Effect Upon Well-Being Throughout The Rehabilitation Process, Gabriella Bores

Selected Honors Theses

Athletic injuries are increasingly common at the collegiate level. These injuries not only produce physical detriments, but often elicit emotional responses as well. As a result, injured athletes are often facing increased stress and are in dire need of social support throughout the rehabilitation process. This study seeks to add to the amassing literature on the stress-buffer hypothesis and evaluates social support provided by athletic trainers, coaches, teammates, and professors and instructors for injured collegiate athletes. Qualitative findings revealed the most commonly expressed type of social support was emotional support from coaches, teammates, and professors, while tangible support was the …

The Effect Of Three Different Ankle Braces On Vertical Jump Performance In Female College Volleyball Players, Ashley M. Jefferson

Undergraduate Theses

Background/Purpose: Ankle braces are often used to stabilize the ankle joint of an athlete to reduce the risk of initial injury while participating in athletic activity or to protect the joint from re-injury when returning to play. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of application of three different braces on vertical jump performance in collegiate female volleyball players. A secondary aim was to compare participant preference and satisfaction on selected characteristics of each of the three different braces.

Subjects: 31 female varsity/club college volleyball players >18 years of age.

Materials/Methods: Health History Assessment and a dynamic …

Muscle Function And Fatigability Of Trunk Flexors In Males And Females, Rita Deering, Jonathon Senefeld, Tatyana Pashibin, Donald A. Neumann, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Optimal function of the abdominal muscles is necessary for several life functions including lifting and carrying tasks. Sex differences in strength and fatigability are established for many limb muscles and back extensor muscles, but it is unknown if sex differences exist for the abdominal muscles despite their functional importance.

Methods

Eighteen females (24.3 ± 4.8 years) and 15 males (24.1 ± 6.6 years) performed (1) isometric trunk flexion maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) in a range of trunk positions to establish a torque-angle curve and (2) submaximal (50% MVC), intermittent isometric contraction (6 s on, 4 s off) until task …

Identification And Intervention For Action Planning Deficits In Children With Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy, Swati M. Surkar

Theses & Dissertations

The primary purpose of this investigation was to describe and quantify action-planning deficits during goal-directed movements in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP). Three specific topics were addressed: brain activation, kinematics, and the use of visual input. First, we assessed prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation during complex goal-directed actions in children with HCP. The outcome suggested that children with HCP have higher PFC activation than age matched typically developing (TD) children during action planning, potentially due to the difficulty in allocating attentional resources for simultaneously processing the cognitive (i.e., attention, memory, information processing) and motor demands of the goal-directed task. Reduced …

Adaptations Of Lumbar Biomechanics After Four Weeks Of Running Training With Minimalist Footwear And Technique Guidance: Implications For Running-Related Lower Back Pain, Szu-Ping Lee, Joshua P. Bailey, Jo Armour Smith, Stephanie Barton, David Brown, Talia Joyce

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Objectives

To investigate the changes in lumbar kinematic and paraspinal muscle activation before, during, and after a 4-week minimalist running training.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

University research laboratory.

Participants

Seventeen habitually shod recreational runners who run 10–50 km per week.

Main outcome measures

During stance phases of running, sagittal lumbar kinematics was recorded using an electrogoniometer, and activities of the lumbar paraspinal muscles were assessed by electromyography. Runners were asked to run at a prescribed speed (3.1 m/s) and a self-selected speed.

Results

For the 3.1 m/s running speed, significant differences were found in the calculated mean lumbar posture …

Influence Of Posture-Cuing Shirt On Tennis Serve Kinematics In Division Iii Tennis Players, Joseph Zappala, Caroline Orrego, Emily Boe, Heather Fechner, Derek Salminen, Daniel Cipriani

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Objective: Injuries to the shoulder complex are common in overhead athletes, often related to kinematics of the shoulder complex. This study evaluated the influence of a posture-cuing shirt on internal rotation velocity of the shoulder during a tennis swing and to determine this influence on shoulder external rotation position. Methods: Nine healthy competitive college tennis players from a Division III college participated in this study. High speed motion capture allowed for 3-D analysis of shoulder kinematics during a tennis serve. Two conditions were evaluated while the athletes performed a high velocity tennis serve: standard tennis shirt and a …

The Effects Of External Focus Of Attention Exercise Rehabilitation On Dual Task Walking In Parkinson's Disease, Eric N. Beck

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Parkinson’s disease impairs control of well-learned movements, and therefore, individuals with Parkinson’s disease are forced to walk with greater conscious control. This causes difficulties while walking and completing a secondary task simultaneously (dual tasking), in that distractions from conscious control of walking increase the risk of falls and injury. Although, attention-based exercise may be a potential avenue to decrease the demands associated with walking in Parkinson’s disease. For example, an external focus of attention (on manipulated objects) has been found to recruit the networks that are important for walking with little conscious control (automatic control networks). In contrast, an internal …

A Comparison Of The Scapular Flip Test Between Women With Breast Cancer And Healthy Controls, Mary Insana Fisher, Lucinda Pfalzer, Ellen W. Levy, Shana Harrington, Lynn H. Gerber, Nicole L. Stout

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Presentation at the World Confederation for Physical Therapy Congress, held May 1-4, 2015, in Singapore.

Background: The Scapular Flip test was designed to screen for spinal accessory nerve palsy. The spinal accessory nerve can be damaged in breast cancer surgery and treatment, resulting in scapular dyskinesis and upper limb (UL) impairment in women with breast cancer (BC). This test could be useful to screen for UL impairment in BC.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe shoulder impairments as defined by a positive Flip Test in a group of women with BC at baseline, 1-3 months, and 12+ …

Innovative Evaluation Of Dexterity In Pediatrics, Susan V. Duff, Dorit H. Aaron, Gloria R. Gogola, Francisco J. Valero-Cuevas

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction

Hand dexterity is multifaceted and essential to the performance of daily tasks. Timed performance and precision demands are the most common features of quantitative dexterity testing. Measurement concepts such as rate of completion, in-hand manipulation and dynamic force control of instabilities are being integrated into assessment tools for the pediatric population.

Purpose

To review measurement concepts inherent in pediatric dexterity testing and introduce concepts that are infrequently measured or novel as exemplified with two assessment tools.

Methods

Measurement concepts included in common assessment tools are introduced first. We then describe seldom measured and novel concepts embedded in two instruments; …

Effect Of Dual Tasking On Walking Over Even And Uneven Surfaces In Functionally Independent Community Older Adults, Olajide L. Kolawole

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

While several studies have reported a decrement in performance by older adults while walking and concurrently performing a dual task on even surfaces, to date the effects of dual tasking while walking on uneven surfaces commonly found in the community has received less attention. Thus, we sought to test the hypothesis that an incremental decrement in gait parameters will be observed, when walking on an uneven versus an even surface and furthermore, that this decrement would be dependent upon the concurrent performance of a secondary cognitive and/or motor task in functionally independent-living-community older adults.

Dynamic Gait Index assessed the subject’s …

Low-Cost Strider For Guatemala, Nicole Catherine Cooper, Gonzalo Hernandez, Jared W. Tower

Mechanical Engineering

The purpose of this project was to create a strider, a type of standing rehabilitation device, for children in developing countries who have trouble walking and supporting their full body weight. The project was initially brought to us by Cal Poly professor Brian Self, who had visited a clinic in San Marcos and determined that there were children there who had difficulties with walking and were a need for a rehabilitation device. The team discussed the problem with Dr. Self, Matt Robinson (a local San Luis Obispo prosthetist), and Cal Poly physics professor Pete Schwartz, all of whom had visited …

Classifying Lower Extremity Muscle Fatigue During Walking Using Machine Learning And Inertial Sensors, Jian Zhang, Thurmon Lockhart, Rahul Soangra

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Fatigue in lower extremity musculature is associated with decline in postural stability, motor performance and alters normal walking patterns in human subjects. Automated recognition of lower extremity muscle fatigue condition may be advantageous in early detection of fall and injury risks. Supervised machine learning methods such as Support Vector Machines (SVM) have been previously used for classifying healthy and pathological gait patterns and also for separating old and young gait patterns. In this study we explore the classification potential of SVM in recognition of gait patterns utilizing an inertial measurement unit associated with lower extremity muscular fatigue. Both kinematic and …

Effectiveness Of Spinal Unloading Positions In Recovering From Spinal Shrinkage Incurred While Running, Jennifer Kumanchik

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

No abstract provided.

Land-Based Exercise And Its Effect On Quality Of Life Outcomes In Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review, Cody R. Buckner, Lindsay C. Martin, Michael L. Soukup

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: The purpose of this systematic review was to examine effectiveness of land-based exercise interventions for improving quality of life (QOL) of individuals with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: A systematic search included PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Academic Search Premier, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Inclusion criteria included land-based exercise interventions aimed to improve lower extremity strength and QOL, published since 2000. Exclusion criteria included OA of joints other than the knee, and aquatic-based and surgical interventions. Studies were evaluated using a modified version of the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) methodology score.

Results: Level of …

Effects Of Footstrike Pattern On Low Back Posture, Shock Attenuation, And Comfort During Running, Traci L. Delgado, Emilia Kubera-Shelton, Robert R. Robb

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: Barefoot running (BF) is popular in the running community. Biomechanical changes occur with BF, especially when initial contact changes from rearfoot strike (RFS) to forefoot strike (FFS). In addition, changes in lumbar spine range of motion (ROM), particularly involving lumbar lordosis, have been associated with increased low back pain (LBP). However it is not known how changing from RFS to FFS affects lumbar lordosis or LBP. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine if a change from RFS to FFS would change lumbar lordosis, and/or decrease shock attenuation, and/or change comfort levels in healthy recreational/experienced runners.

Methods: …

The Acute Effects Of Upper Extremity Stretching On Throwing Velocity In Untrained Baseball Throwers, Ashley Delobel, Lanisa Harveson, Jason Melton, Michael Williams

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of static and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching of shoulder internal rotators on throwing velocity as compared to a typical dynamic warm-up.

Subjects: 27 male untrained throwers (mean age = 25.1 years old, SD =2.4) with basic knowledge of throwing mechanics.

Methods:The study was conducted over a series of three sessions with at least one week between each session. During each session, subjects warmed-up, threw 10 pitches, were randomly assigned to one of three separate stretching protocols, and then threw 10 more pitches.The three protocols were static stretching, …

Test-Retest Reliability And Responsiveness Of Gaze Stability And Dynamic Visual Acuity In High School And College Football Players, Denise Kaufman, Mallory Puckett, Mitchell Smith

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to establish reliability and responsiveness of the active dynamic visual acuity test (DVAT) at speeds of 150 to 200 degrees per second (deg/sec) and the gaze stabilization test (GST) in high school and college football players.

Design: Reliability design

Setting, Participants, Main Outcome Measures: A total of 50 high school and college football athletes completed vestibulo-ocular reflex testing using the DVAT and GST in the yaw (horizontal) and pitch (vertical) planes on two separate occasions within 14 days.

Results: Test-retest reliability for the DVAT was good in yaw, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) (3,3) …

Examining Lower Extremity Range Of Motion And Movement Variability Chages Due To Focus Of Attention During Landing, Andrew Nordin, Janet Dufek

Interdisciplinary Research Scholarship Day

Attentional focus (AF) has been explored among a variety of motor skills providing evidence that external AF promotes automaticity and enhanced performance [6]. External focus of attention is distinguished from internal focus such that external focus is directed toward movement effect rather than body movements [6]. Movement variability provides a means of assessing functional characteristics of the neuromotor system, where normal functioning is suggested to occur within optimal limits, while excessively high or low movement variability is indicative of system dysfunction [2,4,5]. Additionally, the ability of the motor system to vary, or broadly distribute, internal loads is thought to reduce …

Parkinson's Disease And Forced Exercise In A Community Setting: A Feasibility Study, Alati Gagne, Sarabeth Makins, James Walrath

Research Posters

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that increases an individual’s fall risk. In recent studies, an 8-week tandem bike forced exercise program was effective in reducing overall Parkinsonian symptoms. The feasibility of a tandem bike forced exercise program in a community setting has not been studied previously, and no published study has evaluated balance and health outcomes after participation in a forced exercise program. This six week tandem bike forced exercise protocol, conducted in a community setting for individuals with Parkinson’s disease, aimed to assess the feasibility of such a protocol, and to assess resultant balance and health outcomes.

The Physiological Effects Of Exercising Alone Versus With A Partner, Tyler Chamberlin, Kristen Green, Patrick Robichaud

Research Posters

The general population is in constant pursuit for sources of motivation to maintain a consistent workout routine. Research demonstrates increased motivation when exercising with a partner but does not investigate any physiological effects. The objective of this study was to investigate changes in heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and time in target HR zone when exercising alone compared to exercising with a same-sex partner. The study was conducted in the Physical Therapy lab at the University of New England in Portland, Maine, utilizing an experimental 2x9 repeated measures research design. Forty-one graduate students were …

Alterations In Visual Processing And Its Impact On Upright Postural Stability In Athletes Following Sport-Related Concussion, Andrea E. Cripps

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Athletes are at risk of sustaining a concussion in all sports and at all competitive levels which may lead to balance impairments. Balance results from the integration of visual, vestibular, and somatosensory information. The underlying pathophysiology for balance impairments is not well understood and visuo-motor processing impairments and how these impairments contribute to balance in concussed athletes has not been reported. Objectives: (1) to investigate the influence of visual perturbation on upright postural stability and balance in athletes who have recently suffered a sports-related concussion, (2) to establish the test-retest reliability of a simple visuo-motor processing task. Design: A longitudinal, …

Kinesio Taping On Short-Term Changes In Shoulder Strength In Healthy Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Dario A. Callegari, Cristobal E. Cordova, Julia R. Dunievitz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Study Type: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction:

Kinesio tape is an elastic tape used in various settings and it is purported to assist in strengthening weakened muscles. The mechanism behind this claim is neuromuscular facilitation. The purpose of this study was to determine if the claims of Kinesio tape would be supported in its role in strength enhancing properties.

Methods:

Twenty-nine healthy, untrained male and female college-aged individuals participated in this study. Two baseline measurements assessing shoulder external rotation (ER) strength were collected using isokinetic dynamometry. Subjects were then randomized into two groups, Kinesio tape with ER strengthening (KT-Ex) and …

Duration Of The Effects Of Three Static Stretching Conditions With Or Without A Dynamic Warm-Up In College Age Adults, Spencer Blackwell, Andrew Blomberg, Jonathan Griffith

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the stretching duration (15, 30, 60 seconds) with or without a dynamic warm-up that resulted in the longest lasting acute effects in hamstring flexibility.

Subjects. Forty subjects (17 male, 23 female) (age: 20-35 years) were selected to participate in this study using a sample of convenience from university graduate students.

Methods. This study contained 7 treatment conditions in which each subject completed in random order. Three groups consisted of a 5-minute treadmill warm-up at a self-selected velocity (SSV) followed by one of three stretching durations (15, 30, or 60 sec). …

Athletic Training Students' Ability To Identify Scapular Dyskinesis, Priscilla M. Dwelly

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Scapular dyskinesis refers to abnormal movement patterns of the scapula, which have been associated with injury. Previous investigations have validated the scapular dyskinesis test as a visual assessment method using physicians, physical therapists, and certified athletic trainers. Through educational programs, athletic training students should be taught what scapular dyskinesis is and how to identify it. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to (a) evaluate entry-level graduate athletic training students' ability to identify scapular dyskinesis, (b) assess their reliability, and (c) determine if they were able to correctly identify the muscles involved in rehabilitating an individual with scapular dyskinesis. Follow-up …

Specificity Of A Back Muscle Roman Chair Exercise In Healthy And Back Pain Subjects, Christian Larivière, Rubens A. Da Silva, A. Bertrand Arsenault, Sylvie Nadeau, André Plamondon, Roger Vadeboncoeur

Études primaires

No abstract provided.

Specificity Of A Back Muscle Exercise Machine In Healthy And Low Back Pain Subjects, Christian Larivière, Rubens A. Da Silva, A. Bertrand Arsenault, Sylvie Nadeau, André Plamondon, Roger Vadeboncoeur

Études primaires

No abstract provided.

Pelvic Stabilization And Semisitting Position Increase The Specificity Of Back Exercises, Rubens A. Da Silva, Christian Larivière, A. Bertrand Arsenault, Sylvie Nadeau, André Plamondon

Études primaires

No abstract provided.

Mechanisms Of Fatigue Differ After Low- And High-Force Fatiguing Contractions In Men And Women, Tejin Yoon, Bonnie A. Schlinder-Delap, Erin E. Griffith, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

The magnitude of failure in voluntary drive after fatiguing contractions of different intensities in men and women is not known. The purpose of this study was to compare the time to task failure and voluntary activation of men and women for a sustained isometric contraction performed at a low and high intensity with the elbow flexor muscles. Nine men and nine women sustained an isometric contraction at 20% and 80% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force until task failure during separate sessions. The men had a shorter time to failure than women for the 20% but not the 80% MVC …

The Effects Of A Short Course Of Muscle Energy Technique On Sacral Dysfunction In Patients With Acute Lumbosacral Pain, Regina O'Hara

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The purposes of this research study were to examine the effects of treating patients with suspected acute iliosacral rotational dysfunction with muscle energy techniques (MET) on (1) disability, (2) perceived pain during lumbar motion in neutral, flexion, and extension, (3) lumbar range of motion in flexion and extension, and (4) sagittal innominate rotation. Subjects were randomly assigned to the experimental and placebo groups. Experimental subjects received MET treatments, and placebo subjects received a stretching placebo treatinent. Subjects were treated four times over the course of one week. The initial examination and treatment occurred within 72 hours of the onset of …